December 2017 Archives

On behalf of Gormley and Johnson Law Offices, PLC posted in Divorce on Monday, December 25, 2017.

In an explosion of revelations about sexual harassment involving famous and powerful men, perhaps one of the most shocking for many in Michigan was the revelation that NBC's "Today Show" host Matt Lauer had allegedly assaulted numerous women on the NBC staff. Overnight, Lauer was released from his multi-million dollar contract and fired from his job, even as more women came forward to accuse him of wrongdoing. Now, Lauer's wife, Annette Roque, is reportedly seeking a divorce, and many wonder how the couple's postnuptial agreement will affect the outcome.

On behalf of Gormley and Johnson Law Offices, PLC posted in Wills & Trusts on Tuesday, December 19, 2017.

For those in Michigan with little experience in matters of estate planning, the terminology associated with it may be intimidating enough to repel some from investigating the benefits. Nevertheless, because planning one's estate is important, it is worth gaining an understanding of some of the most common terms involved. For example, a fiduciary is someone entrusted with interests of another person, such as someone's stockbroker or attorney. In estate planning, there may be numerous fiduciaries.

On behalf of Gormley and Johnson Law Offices, PLC posted in Criminal Defense on Wednesday, December 13, 2017.

Police may spend a large portion of their time attending to drug-related activity in Michigan neighborhoods. Without question, the fight against dangerous and addictive substances is a difficult one, and law enforcement may feel overwhelmed at times. Out of zeal, poor training or unethical reasons, some officers may deny the rights of those they accuse of dealing drugs. This is why building a strong criminal defense is important for those facing drug-related charges.

There are two main misconceptions when it comes to estate planning. The biggest one is that estate plans are only for the wealthy, or those whose assets are in the high six figures to seven figures and upwards. The second biggest misconception is probably even more pervasive: that estate plans are more for your loved ones than for yourself.

On behalf of Gormley and Johnson Law Offices, PLC posted in Wills & Trusts on Wednesday, December 6, 2017.

Aaron Hernandez died under a cloud of dishonor, committing suicide after one court convicted him of murder and leaving his estate in debt to the tune of at least $1 million. However, there is evidence that some of his final acts may have been to protect his 5-year-old daughter. As many Michigan parents use wills and trusts to establish a secure future for their children, it seems Hernandez may have attempted the same, although his motives are in question.

On behalf of Gormley and Johnson Law Offices, PLC posted in Wills & Trusts on Friday, December 1, 2017.

Too many people get caught up in the idea that an estate plan is only for the obscenely wealthy, those who have multiple homes and millions of assets that they need to protect. The reality is, anyone with assets can benefit from developing an estate plan.

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